Manchester Metropolis’s push to safe Champions League soccer for subsequent season suffered a massively stunning setback as they had been held to a 0-0 draw by relegated Southampton.
Metropolis had the possibility to maneuver into second place within the Premier League with a victory over the aspect condemned to complete the season backside.
Nonetheless, they fluffed their strains regardless of the long-awaited return of Erling Haaland from an ankle damage, Southampton holding on to maintain their first clear sheet since November.
It means Metropolis miss an opportunity to go six factors away from sixth-placed Nottingham Forest within the race for the Champions League locations. The highest 5 will qualify for the Champions League, however Metropolis will probably be leapfrogged within the desk if there’s a winner in Sunday’s large recreation between Newcastle United and Chelsea at St James’ Park.
Southampton v Manchester Metropolis
Haaland was restored to the beginning XI as one in all 5 modifications made by Pep Guardiola from final week’s win over Wolves, however his aspect struggled to make a lot of their predictable dominance of possession.
Their finest probability of the opening half got here when Kevin De Bruyne dipped a free-kick from the sting of the realm narrowly over the crossbar.
Alternatives weren’t readily forthcoming to begin the second half regardless of the introduction of Jeremy Doku on the left flank, although Southampton’s defending did grow to be more and more determined as Metropolis turned the screw of their quest for a decisive purpose.
Haaland twice failed to attach with deliveries from Phil Foden because the Norwegian endured a irritating afternoon and, when Metropolis had been in a position to take a look at Aaron Ramsdale, they discovered. the Southampton goalkeeper in fantastic kind.
Ramsdale displayed fantastic reactions to disclaim Manuel Akanji from De Bruyne’s ball in, earlier than Savinho and Nico O’Reilly every fluffed their strains with the purpose gaping following Haaland’s sq. cross.
Savinho and Ruben Dias had been thwarted by a double save from Ramsdale, with Marmoush the following to expertise frustration as his poked effort was cleared in a scramble within the six-yard field.
The Egyptian was the person who went the closest to breaking Southampton’s spectacular resistance when he whipped an effort in opposition to the cross with Ramsdale crushed, with luck for as soon as on Southampton’s aspect as they stood agency to say a degree which means they surpass Derby County’s document for the fewest Premier League factors in a season.
Southampton now have 12 factors, another than Derby managed in 2007-08, but it surely’s a stalemate that might have a lot better penalties on the different finish of the desk in two weeks’ time.
